Minor-caliber fuse



Patentecl Nov. 6, 1923.

EHCE.

EDWARD R. PILLARS AND HENRY C. LEESEBERG, 01? FOSTORIA, OI-IIO.

MINOR-CALIBEP; FUSE.

Application filed January 12, 1918. Serial No. 211,656.

To aZZ wzom it may concer'n Be it known that we, EDWARD R. PILLARS andHENRY C. Lnnsnnnno, citizens of the United States, residing at Fostoria,in the county of Seneca, in the State of Ohio, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Minor-Caliber Fuses; and We do hereby declarethe following to be a full, clear, and eXact description of the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of thisspecification.

The object of this invention is to produce a simpler and safer base fusefor shells of relatively small size. A further object of the inventionis to provide a fuse that shall be springless, pinless and plateless,and one in which the firing mechanism shall no't be distorted or shearedin the act of arming, butwhich shall be in its natural position bothbefore and after such arining.

In the drawings:-

Fig. 1 is a central sectional view of our device.

Fig. 2 is a similar view but showing the fuse armed.

F ig. 3 is a perspective view of the firing pln.

Our improved fuse consists of the usual body 1, threaded as at 2 throughthe major part of its length, and ending in a base flange 3, adapted tofit into a corresponding countersunk recess in the base of the shell.The flat portion of the base is provided with a plurality of holes 5-for use with a spanner wrench in screwing the fuse into the base. Inorder to permit the threads toV be sharp throughout their entire length,there is a portion 6 of a dianieter not exceeding that of the base ofthe threads, and considerably less than that of the flange 3, the latterthereby being able to overlie the threaded hole in the Shell anappropriate amount, this overlie forming in effect a shoulder 7 bearingfirmly against the bottom of the countersunk portion of the shell. Thethreads 2, which are usually made left-handed in devices of this nature,end a little below 'the top of the body, as at 8, providing a portion 9of the same diameter as the part 6.

The firing pin 10 consists of a cylindrical body 11, provided at the topWith a firing point 12 generally of conical or nipple Shape, and havingan appreciable area at its tip 13, in order to more readily fire thedetonating charge 14, usually fulminate of mercury, in

the primer 15. Centrally of the firing pin is an annular frusto-conicalmember 16, merging into the cylindrical portion at the upper end, andending below in a shoulder 17, adapted to rest against the face 18 ofthe re` cess 19 in the cylindrical plunger or arming member 20, adaptedto freely slide in the cavit '23.

The tapered walls 21 of the well 22 form` ing a continuation of theplung'er cavity 23 in the body 1, co-operate with the rounded ends 24 ofthe legs 25 of the firing pin to enable the plunger to more readilytelescope the firing pin upon discharge of the shell than would be thecase if the inertia of the moving parts alone was relied upon. Thefiring pin is slotted as at 26 for a considen able part of its length,forming legs 25, which return to their normal position after beingpressed together, by virtue of the natural resilicnoy of the metal ofwhich the pin is made, usually cold rolled steel.

The plunger 20 is hollow throughout its length, the longer Chamber 27,in which the portion 11 of the pin slides, being of less diameter thanthe Chamber 28, on the other side of the recess 19. The edge 29, betweenthe chan'iber 28 and the base 30 of the plunger, by acting on theconical member 16 forces the legs 25 together, thereby permitting theouter rini 31 to pass through the Chamber 28 and into the recess 19which being of larger diameter than the Chamber 28 will .permit the legs25 to return to their normal position, and securely locking the firingpin in the plunger since the shoulders 17 cannot again pass the face 18as the normal diameter of the rim 31 is about equal to the diameter ofthe recess 19.

At the upper end of the plunger cavity 23, the body is provided with anannular seat 32 for a primer cup 33 of the usual type, having an anvil34 surrounded by vents 35 through which the ilame from the fulminatepasses to the powder when the firing pin explodes the charge in theprimer against the anvil. 7 hen the primer cup is in place the topportion 9 of the body is spun over the flange 36 of the cup therebypermanently assembling the fuse.

Vhen the shell is fired from the gun, the inertia of the body acts onthe pin, the conical well 22 forcing the ronnded end's of the legstogether, and carrying the pin into the plunger, the edge 29 assistingin forcing the legs 25 .together sufficiently to permit the rim 31 topass into the recess 19. The pin now resumes its normal shape and thetwo elements are securely locked together and act as one, and uponimpact, the firing point 12, 'which has been shielded by the plunger 20before arming, but which lies entirely above the top of the plungerafter arming, enplodes the fulminate by crashing into the 'primer 15 byreason of its inertia, the pluniger and pin not being brought to restwith the rest of the shell upon impact. ln practice, it is often foundadvantageous to place a spring between the primer cup and the top of theplunger to prevent `accidental firing When the shell is at the highestpoint in its trajectory; this, hovvever, is old in the art, and forms nopart of our invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A one piece firing pin for percnssion fuses consisting of a generallycylindrical body pointed at one end, rounded at the other end carrying atapered skirt therebetween, said pin being split a portion of its lengththereby forming legs.

2. In an arming device for percussion fuses, a body having a conicalrecess in the bottomend thereof, .a longitudinally split Airing pinslidable in said body and adapted -to Vcontact with the walls of saidconical recess at a point short of the bottom thereof, and means adaptedto force the firing pin 'fart-her into said conical recess therebypressing the resilient legs of the firing pin together.

3. In a arming device for percussion fuses, a body having a recess inthe bottom Wall thereof, said recess having sloping side walls, aplurality of telescoping members slidable therein, one of said membershaving an interior groove and the other having a pair of resilientintegral legs adapted to cooperate With the sloping walls of saidrecess, and integral lugs on each of said legs adapted to expand intosaid interior groove When the members are telescoped.

4. In an arming device for percussion fuses, a body, a plurality oftelescoping members slidable therein, one of said members having aninterior groove and the .ot-her having a resilient integral lug adaptedto expand into said groove When the members'fare telescoped, and afiring pin point located on one side of said members concentrio Witheach of said members.

5. In a percus'sion fuse for shells or projectiles the combination of acase having a chamber therein, an explosive element, a plunger bodyadapted to slide in said chamber having looking means, consisting of aretaining shoulder, a firing pin body extending into the plunger body,resilient looking means adapted to engage' the retaining shonlder and topositively lock the firing pin to the plunger in an armed position.

(i. In -a percussion vfuse for shells or projectiles, the combination ofa case having a chamber therein, an expiosve element, a plunger bodyadapted to slide in said chamber and having three cominunicating centralpassages the smallest extending through the plunger the second at oneend and of larger diameter but of slight depth and adjacent to thesecond the third of slightly larger diameter than .the second and ofmaterial depth, a firing pin body normaily extending through the secondand third passages and into the smallest, locking means extending fromthe firingl pin at right Vangles to its longitudinai axis and of greaterlength than the diameter of either of .the outer central passages.

7. In an arining device for percussion fuses, a body having a chambertherein, an explosive element, a plunger body adapted to slide in saidchamber and having looking 'means`consisting of a retaining shoulderforined in said plunger, a firing pin having a plurality of splitintegral resilient legs and looking lugs carried by said leg's andadapted to cooperate With said looking .means to lock the firing pin tothe plunger in armed position.

S. In a percussion fuse for shells or projectiles the combination of avcase having a chamber therein, an explosive element, a plnnger bodyadapted to slide in said cham- ;bcr and having a central. passagetherethrough, a. second shallow one of larger diameter and a third oneof larger diameter than the second and materially deeper thereby forminglooking means, a firing pin ;body extending into the plunger body,resilient looking vlugsintegral with the firing pin and adapted tocooperate with said looking means to lock the firing pin to the plunger|in armed position, said firing pin being deformed by the plunger duringarming but resto-ring itself to normal form when'a'rmed.

9. In a percussion fuse for shells the 'com-l bination of an explosiveelement, a casing having a chamber, a plunger adapted to slide in saidchamber having a central passage its entire length, a second passage atthe outer end of the plunger of slight dep-th and larger diameterthanthe first passage, a third passage adjacent to the second of largerdiameter and materially deeper, a retaining shoulder formed by thejuncture of the second and third passages, a firing pin extending .into.the plunger, looking means extending from the firing pin at rightangles to its longitudinal axis and longer than lthe diameter of eitherof the outer plunger liassages.

10. In a percussion fnse forshells the combination of an explosiveelement, a cassing` having a chamber, a plunger adapted to slide in saidchamber having a central passage its entire length, a second passage atthe outer end of the plunger of slight depth and larger diameter thanthe first passage, a third passage adjacent to the second of largerdiameter and materially deeper, a retaining shonlder formed by thejuncture of the second and third passages, a firing pin extending intothe plunger, looking means extending from the firing pin at right anglesto its longitudinal axis and longer than the diameter of either of theouter plunger passages and adapted to lock the plunger and firing pintogether.

11. In a percussion fuse for shells the combination of an explosiveelement, a casing having a Chamber, a plunger adapted to slide in saidChamber having a central passa-ge its entire length, a second passage atthe outer end of the plunger of slight depth and larger diameter thanthe first passage, a third passage adjacent to the second of largerdiameter and materially deeper, a retaining shoulder formed by thejuncture of the second and third passages, a firing pin normallysheathed in the plunger and held against arming by resilient lookingmeans extending from the firingI pin at right angles to its longitudinalaxis.

12. In a percussion fuse for shells the combination of an explosiveelement, a casing having a Chamber, a plunger adapted to slide in saidChamber having a central passage its entire length, a second passage atthe Outer end of the plunger of slight depth, a third passa-ge adjacentto the second of larger diameter and materially deeper, a retainingshoulder formed by the juncture of the second and third passages, afiring pin, resilient looking means carried by said firing pin andadapted to normally retain it in sheathed position and upon firing toengage the retaining shoulder and look the firing pin to the plunger inarmed position. i

13. in a percussion fuse for shells the combination of an explosiveelement, a casing having a chamber, a plunger adapted to slide in saidChamber having a central passage its entire length, a second passage atthe outer end of the plunger of slight depth and larger diameter thanthe first passage, a third passage adjacent to the second of largerdiameter and materially deeper, a retaining should'er formed by thejuncture of the second and third passages, a firing pin, looking meanscarried by said firing pin and adapted to normally retain it in sheathedposition and upon firing to look the firing pin to the plunger in armedposition, springing into a locked position With the ends of said meansbound against the shoulder formed by the juncture of the second andthird passages.

14. In a percussion fuse, a hollow plunger slidable therein and havingan interior groove, a firing pin laterally compressible .for a portionof its length normally shielded by the plunger but slidable therein toexpose its firing point and a plurality of means formed integrally withsaid firing pin adapted to cooperate With the Wall of the Chamber andwith the Wall of the plunger to laterally compress said firing pin toenable it to move into armed position.

15. ln a percussion fuse, the combination of a chambered fuse body, ahollovv plunger slidable therein, a primer, a firing pin, and meanscarried by the firing pin permitting the withdrawal of the firing pinfrom the plunger When accidentall armed.

E. R. PILL RS. HENRY C. LEESEBERG.

